‘Fred did it right’: VanVleet puts family first at his first NBA All-Star Game
As his tag line goes, Fred VanVleet always bet on himself, but this was a scene he could have never imagined during his days at Wichita State.
Here he was at his profession’s most prestigious showcase, playing in his first NBA All-Star game on Sunday night in Cleveland and securing entry into a club reserved only for the elite of the elite. When he was in Wichita, he longed for the chance to be on the same stage as LeBron James and Stephen Curry; now he was their teammate for All-Star weekend.
But the best part? Sharing the experience with his long-time girlfriend turned recent fiancé, Shontai Neal, and their two children, Sanaa and Fred Jr.
This life was too perfect to dream: world champion, $84 million contract, All-Star, engaged to his high school sweetheart with two adorable kids — all by the age of 27. Not bad for a player once thought to be too short and slow to even reach the NBA, let alone become just the fourth undrafted player in modern history to become an All-Star.
“I’m a pretty boring guy, so it’s nice to have someone else around to enjoy it for me,” VanVleet told The Eagle after the All-Star experience. “Not many things get me excited. To have my family, who’s been here with me the whole way, be able to enjoy the weekend with me, that’s pretty special.”
On a weekend that was a celebration of the latest chapter in one of the NBA’s most inspiring stories, VanVleet instead put his family first.
He takes a great deal of pride in the level of basketball he has achieved, but he’s even more proud as a father to be able to give his children experiences that he could have never even dreamed of when he was growing up in Rockford, Illinois.
That’s why he was adamant on bringing his two children everywhere he went during All-Star weekend, including his press conference following Sunday’s game, which predictably made for heart-warming moments.
After making his way to his seat, VanVleet asked the kids who had tagged along if they wanted to sit with him for the interview or go back to their mother.
“I already know what you want to do,” VanVleet said, hoisting Fred Jr. on his lap.
Not wanting to miss out on the action, Sanaa quickly followed suit. It made for a memorable family moment, both children sitting on VanVleet’s lap as he answered questions about an exhibition game that didn’t feel all too important in this moment.
“All questions got to go through you first,” VanVleet informed his daughter, whose eyes widened with equal parts excitement and fear.
VanVleet spoke about his performance, drilling a pair of three-pointers in his nine minutes of action, which he felt redeemed himself after a disappointing showing in the three-point contest on Saturday.
“Didn’t hit the backboard tonight,” VanVleet said with a grin, referencing his first attempt in the contest.
“I’m happy with the way the night went. We won, I got out there and made a couple shots, got some cardio in. That’s it, I’m good.”
While the flow of the All-Star game, which features practically no defense and mostly dunks, isn’t quite VanVleet’s speed, his game this season for the Toronto Raptors has made an impression around the league. He’s in the midst of a career-best season, averaging 21.6 points and 7.0 assists, while making 40.1% of his three-pointers on 10.0 attempts per game, which is second in the NBA only to Curry.
VanVleet is just the second former Shocker to be named an NBA All-Star and the first since Xavier McDaniel in 1988.
“Fred is a guy who you can say he got out the mud,” said 12-time All-Star Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns. “I really respect the guys who get paid and it don’t change them. I’ve played long enough to see guys get a big deal and then their game just changes. But Fred plays the same way every night and I’ll always respect that.”
For DeMar DeRozan, who played for the Raptors when VanVleet was emerging as a talent, it was a special experience seeing VanVleet ascend to among the league’s best.
“I feel like a proud father right now,” said DeRozan, now with the Chicago Bulls. “I remember that first day he came. I remember going to his G-League games, driving out there and watching him play. Now seeing him sit with an All-Star jersey on being a father, it makes me feel old but also at the same time, as a friend, it’s something I’m most proud of sharing this moment with him.”
VanVleet’s improbable journey has been well-documented, as has his steady temperament through the good times and bad. His humble beginnings taught him to never take anything for granted and to pay it forward when he can, a lesson he applied at the start of the All-Star break when his Raptors teammates, Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa, who were selected to play in Saturday’s Rising Stars game, were stuck in Toronto and needed a ride.
VanVleet changed his flight plans and made room on his private jet, so his two rookie teammates could make it for All-Star weekend.
“That invoice is getting sent somewhere,” VanVleet said, laughing. “I had guys do it for me, so it’s my job to do it for them.”
The coolest part of the experience, apart from actually playing in the game, was being surrounded by basketball royalty. And not just with his peers, as VanVleet’s Team LeBron defeated Team Durant, 163-160, on a James game-winner with Curry exploding for 16 triples and 50 points to earn MVP honors, but also off the floor with the majority of the NBA’s 75 greatest players in attendance to celebrate the league’s 75th anniversary.
It was a night for the best of the best in the game and VanVleet belonged.
“Just being in the locker room and being around the guys, being able to hear some of the stories and share stories,” VanVleet said. “That’s probably the best part of being a part of the brotherhood of what this elite level is.”
For his first time, VanVleet didn’t know what to expect from the All-Star experience.
In the eyes of one of the game’s veterans, VanVleet did things the right way this weekend.
“The first thing I asked him was did he have his family with him,” Paul said. “We go to practice and we come here and it’s a lot of hustle and bustle. The only way you can remember a lot of this stuff is the photos, which is why I have my son right here with me. I know it’s about the fans, but it’s also about us getting time with our family and spending time with them. Fred did it right.”
This story was originally published February 21, 2022 at 12:35 PM.
.jpg)